Ex-PWD director fined RM3,000 for abusing power

KOTA KINABALU: A former Labuan Public Works Department director was fined RM3,000 by the Sessions Court yesterday for abuse of power in 2015.

Judge Abu Bakar Manat ordered Ismail Che Rose, 60, to serve three months’ jail if he did not settle the fine.

Abu Bakar said he took into consideration the guilty plea by the accused and the fact that he had no criminal record.

Ismail was charged with abusing his power by accepting a golf and accommodation package worth RM2,880.90 at Sutera Harbour Resort here from Aug 5 to 7, 2015.

He received the gratification from Teoh Hon Chun, a contractor involved in project development of a short-cut road at Kampung Gersik in Labuan.

Deputy public prosecutor Rozzana Abdul Hadi represented the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), while counsel Zahir Shah represented the accused.

In another case, Abu Bakar sentenced a Kota Kinabalu City Hall environmental health assistant officer to a day’s jail and RM10,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to receiving a bribe.

Abu Bakar ordered David @ Divi Jasni, 37, to serve a month’s jail if he did not settle the fine.

The government servant was charged with receiving a bribe of RM200 from Lui Oi Yee as an inducement not to issue a compound to the latter who committed an offence under the Kota Kinabalu Municipal Council (Food and Eating Premises) ByLaws 1966.

He took the bribe on July 29 last year behind a coffee shop in Jalan Pantai here.